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Greentinted
26-02-2010, 10:00 PM
Following the news of Alan Gordon's recent demise the quote oft attributed about him by Ned has been in my wee head: 'the trouble wi' you Alan is aw yer brains are in yer heid!'
I got to thinking that intelligent or educated football players are often perceived as novelties. But why is it they stand out?

A senior sports journo once told me that Neil Orr was rarely called upon for interviews as quoting him 'was like trying to simplify an academic thesis'. I can think of only a handful of players over the years who have achieved academic excellence or a reputation for intelligence- Alan Gordon, Steve Highway, Scott Thompson and maybe a few more, yet conversely there is a whole raft of dafties (or those who give that impression) - for example Tosh MacKinlay, Scott Brown, Charlie Nicholas, Barry and Derek Ferguson, Steve Fulton, Frank MacAvennie, Iain Ferguson, Stuart Petrie, Billy Kirkwood, Paul Hegarty and my all-time winner, Gary MacKay!

This week there has been talk of Kris Boyds u-turn regarding international football the surrounding press furore as yet seems different to that of David Weir who essentially did the same. Is it because Boyd is seen as a schemie weegie moron where Weir is (apparently) educated? I know Weir comes across as articulate and worldly when he speaks whereas Boyd appears as if he would have trouble chewing his fingernails without a diagram.

So who would be the cleverest and the thickest footballer if a poll were to be taken?

Gus
26-02-2010, 10:08 PM
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8534954.stm (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8534954.stm)

nae bad

FranckSuzy
26-02-2010, 10:12 PM
Kenny Deuchar must be up there as he's a doctor.

ballengeich
26-02-2010, 10:14 PM
On one side, Simen Agdestein, Norwegian football international and chess grandmaster.

On the other, I nominate Frank MacDougall of St Mirren and Aberdeen, quoted as saying "Ref, you cannae book me, ah wis booked fir that last week".

jdships
26-02-2010, 10:18 PM
Jim Craig "Lisbon Lion" with Celtic was senior partner in a large dental practice.
Donald Ford , Hearts, was a qualified accountant before going into the art gallery business.

:greengrin

clerriehibs
26-02-2010, 10:33 PM
David Weir is a bawbag. Can't stand the 'man'.

snooky
26-02-2010, 10:36 PM
Didn't Steve Coppell have a uni degree?
Wee Donald Ford was brainy too yet he still signed for the Jams.

Iggy Pope
26-02-2010, 10:44 PM
Following the news of Alan Gordon's recent demise the quote oft attributed about him by Ned has been in my wee head: 'the trouble wi' you Alan is aw yer brains are in yer heid!'
I got to thinking that intelligent or educated football players are often perceived as novelties. But why is it they stand out?

A senior sports journo once told me that Neil Orr was rarely called upon for interviews as quoting him 'was like trying to simplify an academic thesis'. I can think of only a handful of players over the years who have achieved academic excellence or a reputation for intelligence- Alan Gordon, Steve Highway, Scott Thompson and maybe a few more, yet conversely there is a whole raft of dafties (or those who give that impression) - for example Tosh MacKinlay, Scott Brown, Charlie Nicholas, Barry and Derek Ferguson, Steve Fulton, Frank MacAvennie, Iain Ferguson, Stuart Petrie, Billy Kirkwood, Paul Hegarty and my all-time winner, Gary MacKay!

This week there has been talk of Kris Boyds u-turn regarding international football the surrounding press furore as yet seems different to that of David Weir who essentially did the same. Is it because Boyd is seen as a schemie weegie moron where Weir is (apparently) educated? I know Weir comes across as articulate and worldly when he speaks whereas Boyd appears as if he would have trouble chewing his fingernails without a diagram.

So who would be the cleverest and the thickest footballer if a poll were to be taken?

CLEVEREST
Pat Nevin

I do recall an intense interview in NME in 1981, where he deconstructed the artistic merits of Joy Division |(and maybe a bit of Nietschze) yet with football barely mentioned. He might even have been playing for Clyde at the time.....Or maybe he was just wearing a Joy Division badge.
No matter, brightest by a stretch.

THICKEST
Jamie Redknapp.

Greentinted
26-02-2010, 10:44 PM
Completely forgot about Dr Duechar and I'm liking the Countdown story, I may well tune in next week to see how he gets on.

Bayern Bru
26-02-2010, 10:46 PM
Richie Foster of the Sheep is known as 'google' to his teammates.
Sez it all really!
:greengrin

Hainan Hibs
26-02-2010, 10:52 PM
Larry Kingston.

Only a genius can swindle so much cash out of the Yams for doing so little:greengrin

Earl o'Montrose
26-02-2010, 10:52 PM
Michael O'Neill successfully studied for a degree from the Open University in Mathematics while he was playing with Hibs :agree:

givescotlandfreedom
26-02-2010, 10:53 PM
Colin Murdock has a degree in law IIRC.

Simkin911
26-02-2010, 10:53 PM
Michael O'Neill successfully studied for a degree from the Open University in Mathematics while he was playing with Hibs :agree:


Agree, and I doubt many others in the team were doing the course with him! Went on to work as a ? financial adviser I think.

MGmick
26-02-2010, 10:58 PM
Paul Elliot always used to make me laugh. Tried to come across as the world's most articulate but sounded like he was trying to excrete a dictionary through a yale lock

Bobo
26-02-2010, 11:01 PM
Barry Lavety must be in the hunt for wearing a big pointy hat :agree:

CropleyWasGod
26-02-2010, 11:03 PM
Colin Campbell and Derek Rodier, who played for us, were Uni graduates.

So was Steve Heighway of Liverpool

Kevvy1875
26-02-2010, 11:07 PM
Gary Caldwell?:faf:

After all.....

Eskimo's have 100 words for snow, Gary has 101:agree:

Mibbes Aye
26-02-2010, 11:10 PM
Colin Murdock has a degree in law IIRC.

That helps explain why someone so criminal is still at liberty :agree:

TornadoHibby
26-02-2010, 11:17 PM
The late Hugh Whyte, ex Hibs and Dunfermline keeper and local Dunfermline GP! :agree:

Another of that 50 sumfin bunch who I came into contact with fairly regularly in the 70's and 80's and a top bloke! :agree:

Hugh's wife was in my Uni degree classes too! :agree:

Iggy Pope
26-02-2010, 11:22 PM
The late Hugh Whyte, ex Hibs and Dunfermline keeper and local Dunfermline GP! :agree:

Another of that 50 sumfin bunch who I came into contact with fairly regularly in the 70's and 80's and a top bloke! :agree:

Hugh's wife was in my Uni degree classes too! :agree:

I had no idea that Hugh Whyte had died. I remember him being in about the fringes of the first team in the late 70s.

Prof. Shaggy
26-02-2010, 11:26 PM
John Cousins in the 60s had a degree, and was a teacher, was he not?

In those days you had to be clever to be a teacher.:devil:

Cool_Hand_Luke
26-02-2010, 11:27 PM
Forbes Johnston that used to play for Falkirk got a law degree (from Edinburgh according to his wiki page)

Forbes Johnston (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forbes_Johnston)

Just read it just now and didn't realise he committed suicide...

Tazio
27-02-2010, 12:45 AM
Socrates the ex Brazil captan was a doctor if I remember correctly.

HibbyScott
27-02-2010, 12:50 AM
I read somewhere that Ian Dowie has a degree in Aeronautical Engineering...which having spent the last 4 years of my life studying for...I can reveal is not the easiest thing in the world to achieve :greengrin

Marabou Stork
27-02-2010, 12:55 AM
Socrates the ex Brazil captan was a doctor if I remember correctly.

He was also something of a philosopher.

Calvin
27-02-2010, 12:57 AM
Socrates the ex Brazil captan was a doctor if I remember correctly.

Did he not smoke 80 a day or am I thinking of someone else?

Lucius Apuleius
27-02-2010, 05:38 AM
"Always believe" was a teacher as well I believe:confused:

s.a.m
27-02-2010, 08:02 AM
Forbes Johnston that used to play for Falkirk got a law degree (from Edinburgh according to his wiki page)

Forbes Johnston (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forbes_Johnston)

Just read it just now and didn't realise he committed suicide...

Sad news, that. I was thinking about him the other day, and wondering what had happened to him.

O'Rourke3
27-02-2010, 08:12 AM
Jim Craig "Lisbon Lion" with Celtic was senior partner in a large dental practice.
Donald Ford , Hearts, was a qualified accountant before going into the art gallery business.

:greengrin

:hijack:Jim Craig still working as a dentist, got the fright of my life when he walked in to give my kids their check up in a small West Lothian practise last year. Great with the girls and a top footballer. He was the reason Celtic always won BBC's Football Quiz - Quiz ball - the show from where we get the saying Route 1:agree:

Bad Martini
27-02-2010, 08:24 AM
Boyd appears as if he would have trouble chewing his fingernails without a diagram.

Boyd would object strongly to this and indeed, he's got certificates and belly blubber to prove beyond all reasonable doubt that he has mastered the art of chewing fingernails and indeed, anything else that gets in the way of his mooth :greengrin

--------
27-02-2010, 10:47 AM
John Cousins in the 60s had a degree, and was a teacher, was he not?

In those days you had to be clever to be a teacher.:devil:


ALAN Cousin, you mean? Came to us from Dundee around 1967?

He was a Latin master somewhere, IIRC. :agree:



A dab hand at his conjugations, I heard.... :wink:


Graeme Le Saux could read, which meant of course that Liverpudlians assumed he was a homosexual.

CropleyWasGod
27-02-2010, 10:50 AM
ALAN Cousin, you mean? Came to us from Dundee around 1967?

He was a Latin master somewhere, IIRC. :agree:



A dab hand at his conjugations, I heard.... :wink:

Thanks, Doddie. I was struggling with that name, myself.

IIRC, John CUSHLEY.... centre half, Dunfermline and Celtic.... was a smart one too.

Or is it my age?

sunshine1875
27-02-2010, 11:03 AM
Following the news of Alan Gordon's recent demise the quote oft attributed about him by Ned has been in my wee head: 'the trouble wi' you Alan is aw yer brains are in yer heid!'
I got to thinking that intelligent or educated football players are often perceived as novelties. But why is it they stand out?

A senior sports journo once told me that Neil Orr was rarely called upon for interviews as quoting him 'was like trying to simplify an academic thesis'. I can think of only a handful of players over the years who have achieved academic excellence or a reputation for intelligence- Alan Gordon, Steve Highway, Scott Thompson and maybe a few more, yet conversely there is a whole raft of dafties (or those who give that impression) - for example Tosh MacKinlay, Scott Brown, Charlie Nicholas, Barry and Derek Ferguson, Steve Fulton, Frank MacAvennie, Iain Ferguson, Stuart Petrie, Billy Kirkwood, Paul Hegarty and my all-time winner, Gary MacKay!

This week there has been talk of Kris Boyds u-turn regarding international football the surrounding press furore as yet seems different to that of David Weir who essentially did the same. Is it because Boyd is seen as a schemie weegie moron where Weir is (apparently) educated? I know Weir comes across as articulate and worldly when he speaks whereas Boyd appears as if he would have trouble chewing his fingernails without a diagram.

So who would be the cleverest and the thickest footballer if a poll were to be taken?

For thickest Gazza and Dean Windass must be near the top of the list.

duncs
27-02-2010, 11:05 AM
Gerry Britton has got a law degree and diploma in legal practice and is doing his traineeship at the moment, though you might not get that from the way he speaks.

--------
27-02-2010, 11:08 AM
It's definitely your age. :devil:


Am I right in thinking that Alan's team-mate, John Madsen - he of the blond crew-cut and berserker tendencies who came in after BBJ's departure - was an architect back in Denmark?

hibbymark
27-02-2010, 11:21 AM
John Collins......... graduated when he got the hibs job.

Well, previously he said he was a student of the game!!:wink:

Hibs On Tour
27-02-2010, 11:59 AM
Dumbest no question would surely have to be 'trigger' from Liverpool...! :devil:

Were too many tales to tell of all the dafties - sure there was a thread on here no so long ago with plenty - was it McDougall of Aberdeen who the semi-detached hoose story was about? :faf:

Garry O is reknowned for no being the sharpest tool in the box apparently...

--------
27-02-2010, 12:01 PM
Dumbest no question would surely have to be 'trigger' from Liverpool...! :devil:

Were too many tales to tell of all the dafties - sure there was a thread on here no so long ago with plenty - was it McDougall of Aberdeen who the semi-detached hoose story was about? :faf:

Garry O is reknowned for no being the sharpest tool in the box apparently...


Yup. :faf:

heretoday
27-02-2010, 01:22 PM
David Weir is a bawbag. Can't stand the 'man'.

Hear Hear! Always thought he had a rather supercilious air about him.

He's probably a stout fellow and very good to his mum.

heretoday
27-02-2010, 01:26 PM
Paul Elliot always used to make me laugh. Tried to come across as the world's most articulate but sounded like he was trying to excrete a dictionary through a yale lock

Ha Ha! I can't get enough Paul Elliot! Stan Collymore is another with a dictionary for a brain and a large mouth.

heretoday
27-02-2010, 01:31 PM
The title of Britain's Brainiest Footballer is now apparently in the hands of one Clarke Carlisle of Burnley, who won Countdown recently.

He was urged by his teachers to study maths at Cambridge when a schoolboy and has 10 A grade GCSEs.

Killiehibbie
27-02-2010, 02:15 PM
The Dufflecoat was my brothers teacher at Porty before going on to be a Headmaster.

--------
27-02-2010, 02:19 PM
The Dufflecoat was my brothers teacher at Porty before going on to be a Headmaster.

Your brother's a headmaster?

Killiehibbie
27-02-2010, 02:56 PM
Your brother's a headmaster?

He's a master something. The Dufflecoat was the headmaster at Musselburgh. You no got a sermon to be writing up for the morning?

--------
27-02-2010, 02:58 PM
He's a master something. The Dufflecoat was the headmaster at Musselburgh. You no got a sermon to be writing up for the morning?

All done. :smokin

Killiehibbie
27-02-2010, 03:01 PM
All done. :smokin

Pray for a win for 10 man Mainz. I would try but he never listens to me. See Bremen scored just as I typed that.

--------
27-02-2010, 03:04 PM
Pray for a win for 10 man Mainz. I would try but he never listens to me.


Erm, I'm fully occupied with another team till 4.50pm. One that plays in green and white, and hasn't won in four games.... :rolleyes:

stu in nottingham
27-02-2010, 03:19 PM
Ha Ha! I can't get enough Paul Elliot! Stan Collymore is another with a dictionary for a brain and a large mouth.

I always think that Garth crooks is similar - trying to hard to sound intelligent.

Going back a bit, Liverpool midfielder, Brian Hall was university educated I believe and became a teacher after his football career. He is now head of PR at Liverpool FC.

Martin O'Neill is a trained barrister I understand. This brought him into much conflict with Brian Clough at Nottingham Forest as a player!

--------
27-02-2010, 03:29 PM
I always think that Garth crooks is similar - trying to hard to sound intelligent.

Going back a bit, Liverpool midfielder, Brian Hall was university educated I believe and became a teacher after his football career. He is now head of PR at Liverpool FC.

Martin O'Neill is a trained barrister I understand. This brought him into much conflict with Brian Clough at Nottingham Forest as a player!


Now why does that not surprise me? :devil:

stu in nottingham
27-02-2010, 03:31 PM
Now why does that not surprise me? :devil:

I thought that barristers had to speak in clear, accurate and concise language that was reasonably intelligible though, Doddie? :greengrin

--------
27-02-2010, 03:32 PM
I thought that barristers had to speak in clear, accurate and concise language that was reasonably intelligible though, Doddie? :greengrin


No - they just have to overwhelm the opposition with verbiage until they win the verdict. :devil:

heretoday
27-02-2010, 03:36 PM
According to WikiP Mo'N quit his Law course to sign for Forest in 1971.

He remains a great Criminology fan which might explain his attachment to Celtic FC!

stu in nottingham
27-02-2010, 04:01 PM
According to WikiP Mo'N quit his Law course to sign for Forest in 1971.

He remains a great Criminology fan which might explain his attachment to Celtic FC!

:greengrin

I'm sure that there were many occasions when Cloughie wished he'd stayed on! To be fair he was a fantastic player for Forest. It's a shame the way he turned out. :)

There was a similar dynamic between he and Clough to the one alluded to in that famous quote about Alan Gordon by Ned Turbull.

--------
27-02-2010, 04:03 PM
:greengrin

I'm sure that there were many occasions when Cloughie wished he'd stayed on! To be fair he was a fantastic player for Forest. It's a shame the way he turned out. :)

There was a similar dynamic between he and Clough to the one alluded to in that famous quote about Alan Gordon by Ned Turbull.


The f****** quote that's f****** always f****** mis-f******-quoted? :devil:

heretoday
27-02-2010, 04:12 PM
I quite like MoN despite it all. He remains an articulate man though somehow tortured.

People say he is going to Man Utd but I very much doubt it. After Villa, he will do something different maybe.

stu in nottingham
27-02-2010, 04:12 PM
The f****** quote that's f****** always f****** mis-f******-quoted? :devil:


Too f****** right it is!

For another suggestion there always David 'we are going to have Brooklyn Christened, but we don’t know into which religion yet' Beckham.

--------
27-02-2010, 04:14 PM
I quite like MoN despite it all. He remains an articulate man though somehow tortured.

People say he is going to Man Utd but I very much doubt it. After Villa, he will do something different maybe.


Yep. The only Celtic manager in my time I've had any respect for. :agree:


Hope his team wins tomorrow....

--------
27-02-2010, 04:20 PM
Too f****** right it is!

For another suggestion there always David 'we are going to have Brooklyn Christened, but we don’t know into which religion yet' Beckham.


Ah, the Beckhams.

So much money, so little brain.


Thinking of barristers (we did start off there), you HAVE come across the quote from F E Smith, QC?

The 'Learned' Judge had asked him some daft question and Smith launched into a very detailed and very long explanation in response.

When Smith had finished, His Honour frowned and said, "I must confess, Mr Smith, that after your explanation I find myself no wiser."

To which Smith replied, "Possibly not, my Lord, but MUCH better informed."